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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · spring · root · plane · mug · stem · pass · craft

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. root — of a word
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. root — of a plant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spring — of water
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mug — to rob
  11. craft — a skill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — boats
  17. root — the cause
  18. spring — the season
  19. rash — a series
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mug — a face

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com